Habsburg Madrid
The original Madrid, before the boulevards.
Madrid was not always a capital. When Philip II chose it in 1561, it was a dusty town with a minor fortress and no particular ambition. The Habsburgs changed that. They built plazas designed to impress, monasteries designed to intimidate, and a royal palace designed to say: we are not leaving.
This walk takes you through what remains of that era — the ceremonial heart of Plaza Mayor, the narrow streets where courtiers lived and plotted, and the quiet corners where the 16th century refuses to be renovated away.
The buildings have not moved. The stories are still in the walls. You just need someone to point them out.
What you'll discover
·Plaza Mayor held its last public execution in 1790. The lampposts remember.
·3 courtyards hidden behind unmarked doors on Calle del Codo.
·The bakery on Calle Mayor that has used the same oven since 1894.
·A pharmacy with ceiling frescoes that most people walk past without looking up.
·The spot where Philip II decided to make Madrid the capital — and why nobody expected it.
·7 coats of arms on one street. Each one tells a different family's downfall.
Hear what it's like
Stop 1 of Habsburg Madrid. Plaza Mayor.
“This plaza has seen bullfights, executions, and coronations. Now it sees tourists eating overpriced calamari. Progress.”
Each walk has 9+ stops like this. Sample a few free in the app.
Before you go
Best time
Morning, before 11am. The plazas are quieter and the light hits the sandstone facades.
Getting there
Start at Sol metro station (Lines 1, 2, 3). Walk south through Calle Mayor to Plaza Mayor.
Duration
50 minutes at a steady pace. Allow 75 minutes if you stop for photos and coffee.
Footwear
Cobblestones throughout. Flat, sturdy shoes are essential.
€4.99
This walk. 30 days.
Or all 5 Madrid walks for €27.99
Open in app2 devices. One can be a friend's.
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